Rashad Evans vs Quinton Jackson Likely for 2009

The first light heavyweight title defense for Rashad Evans will very likely be against Quinton "Rampage" Jackson, and the fight will likely take place in the spring, barring any unforeseen problems.

We don't have any inside sources that have confirmed this news to us, but you can generally tell if a fight is going to happen by listening to Dana White. White has been asked the question a couple of times since UFC 92 concluded, and he seems pretty interested in giving "Rampage" the first shot at Rashad Evans.

There are some that argue that Lyoto Machida should be granted the first shot at Evans, provided that he beats Thiago Silva at UFC 94.

A "Rampage" / Evans fight makes sense for a number of reasons right now though, and Machida will definitely be one of the next in line for a shot at the title.

In "Rampage" vs Evans you have two of the most dynamic personalities in the UFC squaring off against each other. The fact that both men are African-American certainly adds to the momentous feel of the potential fight as well - Bloody Elbow has a great write-up on this very point. As their article mentions, two African-American fighters have never squared off for a major MMA title in the history of the sport.

If you are of the opinion that "Rampage" doesn't deserve the next shot at the title, then would do you put him against in his next fight? There are no opponents that really make sense to me at this time, other than Rashad Evans.

You also can't deny the $ factor - a "Rampage" / Evans tilt will generate MUCH more money for the UFC than a Machida / Evans fight, and it's not even close. You can't forget about the money side of the equation when you are doing your fantasy match-making.

Provided that Jackson can take care of his ongoing legal troubles, Jackson vs Evans is almost certainly going to take place, likely in the spring of 2009. It should be a great fight.